Many individuals suffer physical impairment from an injury by accidental trauma caused by spinal cord injury or injury to one or both lower extremities or all major extremities. Further, there are individuals who are born with congenital impairments such as being born without one or both lower extremities or any major extremities, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and other similar disabilities. In all scenarios, the individual's impairment stems from the resulting limitation of use of some extremity requiring the individual to obtain assistance to transfer themselves to and from different environments such as a wheel chair and bed.
In the past, many of the individuals suffering physical impairments have relied upon hired aids, such as nurses, to assist in everyday tasks such as getting in and out of bed and a wheelchair. The cost for this type of assistance is enormous and not affordable to most people. Further, the time consuming burden falls on family or friends and eventually becomes too expensive. Also, the physical exertion required in the lifting process can result in back injuries to the persons engaged in the lifting process. Therefore, there is a need for the individual to be able to perform these daily rituals on their own to save money and prevent personal turmoil.
The prior art discloses several possible solutions to aid physically impaired individuals. Prior art reference Samuelsson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,758 describes an apparatus for vertically lifting an individual over a supporting surface. Samuelsson's device describes a cylindrical support column mounted to the ground or floor surface via a base plate. The individual is hoisted from either a bed or wheelchair by a harness means attached to the support arm. Samuelsson, however, does not account for the fact that the cylindrical column must be mounted somewhere near the bed in a position that may get in the way of the person utilizing the support device. Further, Samuelsson's device is bulky, heavy and if the bed to be used by the patient is moved, Samuelsson's device must be unbolted from the floor, moved to the new position and re-bolted in a very secure fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,509 to Simmons et al. describes a portable lift wherein an overhead track, in the shape of an extended beam, is supported on each end by two tripod supports. The disabled individual using this device is required to wheel the wheelchair under the track, hook themselves into a harness, raise themselves via a winch, slide themselves across and over to their bed, lower the winch and release themselves into bed. Simmons et al. provides a lightweight, transportable apparatus that allows a physically impaired individual to get in and out of a bed or wheelchair or the like. However, Simmons et al. fails to account for the individual having limited area in a bedroom. Further, trying to reposition the bed and device would require disassembly of the device or several persons to try and move the device and bed together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,844 to Twitchell et al. discloses a mechanical apparatus for lifting and moving humans which is mounted to a wall proximate a bed or the like. The apparatus involves a crane that extends from the bracket mounted to the wall and a harness such that the user can climb into the harness, raise themselves out of a wheelchair, rotate the crane over the bed and lower themselves into the bed. The problem, however, is that this device must be mounted to another vertical surface in such a fashion as to be able to support an individual and the forces involved in moving said individual. Further, if the bed is moved, this assembly must be detached from the wall, moved and reattached in the new location.
Boyles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,721 discloses a lifting apparatus and method for transporting a passenger into and out of a swimming pool wherein the device is mounted to the edge of the swimming pool and raises and lowers an individual in a crane-like fashion. This device is not the type of device that would be found inside a home due to its size and weight constraints. Further, the type of foundation needed for this lifting apparatus is not available in most homes without extensive renovation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,891 to Reeve et al. teaches an invalid lift and transport apparatus wherein the apparatus is to be mounted to the floor and the wall via brackets and threaded fasteners. As with the other prior art devices, this device requires physical connecting the device to a structure in the room, near the bed, so as to maintain and support the relative position of the device while in use.
The prior art fails to take into account the fact that an individual may wish to move or relocate their bed. All the prior art devices require mounting systems that will support the weight of the device itself and an individual using the device. The prior art fails to account for the fact that an individual may wish to relocate or reposition their bed. With the prior art devices, this would entail ripping up the floor of their room or their walls. Further limitations arise on positioning the individuals bed, if the device has to be mounted to the floor or walls. In one instance, the bed has to be positioned such that the studs in the walls can be adequately located to mount the device thereto and hence provide the sufficient support for the device. Further, there must be adequate space and foundation in the room to support the device. Therefore, an individual might not be able to position themselves near a window since there might not be the foundation to support the device that is so necessary to their survival. This limitation on the relative positioning of the individual's bed is a major problem not addressed in the prior art.
In addition, existing prior art devices also fail to provide adequate foot room for wheelchair bound individuals to maneuver close to the bed for the purpose of manipulating the crane/lift device, bedside rails, bedside tables, or to reach the covers to make the bed look respectable. Further, the existing prior art devices require that a separate crane be purchased for each bed.